Supposing A Smokers’ Symposium

A quick post for you tonight, Dear Reader…

*I know, I’m working on it, Clicky…*

On Monday evening, I spent a pleasant couple of hours in BlueFrank’sSmoky-Drinky, talking to chums I’d only ever written to before.

On Tuesday afternoon I was unexpectedly asked what ‘symposium’ is by a girl in the office – her boss had been invited to one and didn’t know what it entailed, so I told her… and then I decided to look it up…

symposium (n.) 1580s, “account of a gathering or party,” from Latin symposium“drinking party, symposium,” from Greek symposion“drinking party, convivial gathering of the educated” (related to sympotes“drinking companion”), from assimilated form of syn-“together” (see syn-) + posis“a drinking,” from a stem of Aeolic ponen“to drink,” from PIE root *po(i)-“to drink.”

The symposium usually followed a dinner, for the Greeks did not drink at meals. Its enjoyment was heightened by intellectual or agreeable conversation, by the introduction of music or dancers, and by other amusements. [Century Dictionary]

The sense of “a meeting on some subject” is from 1784. Reflecting the Greek fondness for mixing wine and intellectual discussion, the modern sense is especially from the word being used as a title for one of Plato’s dialogues. Greek plural is symposia, and the leader of one is a symposiarch (c. 1600 in English). Related: Symposiac (adj.); symposial.

*/squints…*

I also met Red Frank’sbrother yesterday afternoon. We work in the Tower on different floors, and until now our paths had not crossed, but were thrown together for a meeting. I took the minutes and then gave him a signed copy of The Underdog Anthology 2 to pass along…

*Okay! …/huffs… I get back to writing my submission for Anthology 3… /lights up… But for your info, Clicky, I did actually write some more of it today… /puffs…*

I’d better go for now, Dear Reader, I still have ironing to do, but I will leave you with my good friend, Legs’ post from last night…